FENDER FEND ER PLA PLAYERS YERS CLUB CLUB SKA
LATE 70's SKA IN ENGLAND THE ROLE OF THE RHYTHM SECTION IN BRITISH SKA Most tunes from ska’s British phase were played at moderately fast tempos (i.e., between 120–152 bpm) and featured pop-inspired vocal hooks during the chorus. The guitar tones also diversified during this period (w/effects and slight distortion) due to the British pop influence. Meanwhile, the drums, with some exceptions, employed a more traditional rock feel.
MINOR CHORDS AND SIXTEENTH-NOTE STRUMS MINOR MIN OR CHO CHORDS RDS One of the most easily distinguishable characteristics of late-seventies British ska is the occurrence of minor chords in a song’s basic progression. In the key of C major, the minor chords are Dm (the “ii”), Em (the “iii”), and Am (the “vi”).
FOUR-N FOU R-NOTE OTE MIN MINOR OR CHO CHORDS RDS AND THE THEIR IR INV INVERS ERSION IONSS Four-note chords still reigned supreme in late-seventies British ska; however open-position chords and other shapes were also incorporated. The voicings depicted below are all of the four-note minor chord shapes you’ll be playing in this segment.
www.fenderplayersclub.com
AUDIO-Example19.mp3
1
FENDER PLAYERS CLUB SKA
BASIC SIXTEENTH-NOTE STRUM AND ii-V-I PROGRESSION Now that you’re well rehearsed at grooving with eighth notes, let’s throw sixteenth notes into the equation! When strumming through the following figure, synchronize your pick hand to the sixteenth-note counting prompt “one-ee-anduh, two-ee-and-uh, three-ee-and-uh, four-ee-and-uh,” slicing your pick through the strings on the “and-uh” portions of each beat. This next example cycles between Dm (the “ii”) and G (the “V”) chords in measures 5–8 before repeating back to the C chord (the “I”) in measures 1–4, outlining a ii–V–I progression (a common chord cycle in jazz).
AUDIO-Example20.mp3
“one
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 8 8 9 9 10 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 8 8 9 9 10 10
8 8 8 8 9 9 10 10
8 8 8 8 9 9 10 10
10 12 12 12
10 12 12 12
10 12 12 12
10 12 12 12
10 12 12 12
10 10 10 12
10 12 12 12
www.fenderplayersclub.com
10 12 12 12
10 12 12 12
10 10 10 12
8 8 9 10
8 8 8 8 9 9 10 10
10 10 10 12
10 10 10 12
8 8 9 10
8 8 8 8 9 9 10 10
10 10 10 12
10 10 10 12
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 8 8 9 9 10 10
10 10 10 12
10 10 10 12
8 8 9 10
10 10 10 12
10 12 12 12
10 10 10 12
10 12 12 12
8 8 9 10
10 10 10 12
10 12 12 12
10 10 10 12
10 12 12 12
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
10 10 10 12
10 12 12 12
10 10 10 12
10 12 12 12
8 8 9 10
10 10 10 12
10 12 12 12
2
10 10 10 12
10 12 12 12
FENDER PLAYERS CLUB SKA SIXTEENTH-NOTE STRUM VARIATION WTIH ii-V-I PROGRESSION In this variation of a ii–V–I progression, beats “one” and “three” are strummed using the same sixteenth-note rhythm previously studied, while beats “two” and “four” are strummed using straight eighths. Use the included counting/strumming indications as a guide.
AUDIO-Example21.mp3
C
8 8 9 10
10 10 10 12
10 10 10 12
8 8 9 10
10 10 10 12
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
10 10 10 12
www.fenderplayersclub.com
8 8 9 10
10 12 12 12
10 12 12 12
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
10 12 12 12
8 8 9 10
10 12 12 12
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
8 8 9 10
3
FENDER PLAYERS CLUB SKA I-vi-ii-V PROGRESSION WITH SIXTEENTH-NOTE STRUMMING VARIATION This next passage is strummed in the open position using a new combination of sixteenth notes and eighth notes. It also features a chord progression that cycles between C (the “I”), Am (the “vi”), Dm (the “ii”), and G (the “V”) chords, outlining a I–vi–ii–V progression (another common chord cycle in jazz).
AUDIO-Example22.mp3
C
0 1 0 2 3
1 3 2 0
0 1 0 2 3
1 3 2 0
0 1 0 2 3
1 3 2 0
0 1 0 2 3
1 3 2 0
0 1 0 2 3
1 3 2 0
0 1 0 2 3
1 3 2 0
0 1 0 2 3
1 3 2 0
0 1 0 2 3
1 3 2 0
0 1 0 2 3
1 3 2 0
0 1 0 2 3
1 3 2 0
0 1 2 2 0
3 3 0 0 2 3
0 1 2 2 0
3 3 0 0 2 3
0 1 2 2 0
3 3 0 0 2 3
0 1 2 2 0
3 3 0 0 2 3
0 1 2 2 0
3 3 0 0 2 3
0 1 2 2 0
3 3 0 0 2 3
0 1 2 2 0
3 3 0 0 2 3
0 1 2 2 0
3 3 0 0 2 3
0 1 2 2 0
0 1 2 2 0
3 3 0 0 2 3
3 3 0 0 2 3
This lesson is from the book: SKA Guitar
by Dale Turner. This book/CD pack is the complete guide to playing in the styles of the Skatelites, Specials, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Sublime and others. Provides in-depth coverage of: Jamaican ska, English ska, Southern California ska, and ska-ska; punk and hard rock sounds in ska; soloing and strumming techniques; and more. The music is in standard notation & TAB, and the CD features 60 full-band tracks. Inventory # HL 695297. Book/CD pack $14.95 (US).
www.fenderplayersclub.com
4
